High protein breakfast in Pakistan: 12 desi ideas, with and without eggs

A paratha with chai is a lovely breakfast, but it has only about 6 to 8 g of protein, and by eleven most of us are hungry again. Protein is what keeps you full. Nutritionists often suggest 20 to 30 g at each meal, so here are twelve desi breakfasts that get close, with the approximate protein in each. Ten of them have no eggs at all.

Hung dahi, protein granola and fruit: about 25 g of protein, no cooking

High protein breakfasts at a glance

Breakfast	Protein, about	Eggs?
Protein lassi	30 g	No
Chicken sandwich	28 g	No
Hung dahi with Whey Protein Granola	25 g	No
Paneer bhurji with roti	23 g	No
Peanut butter toast with a glass of milk	22 g	No
Overnight oats with milk and seeds	18 g	No
Chanay with roti	17 g	No
Moong dal chilla with dahi	17 g	No
Anda paratha	17 g	Yes
Besan chilla with raita	16 g	No
Two boiled eggs on toast	16 g	Yes
Kala chana chaat	15 g	No

Figures are rounded estimates from standard nutrition tables for the portions described below; brands and portions vary.

No cooking in the morning

1. Hung dahi with protein granola (about 25 g)

Hang plain dahi in a muslin cloth overnight and you get thick, creamy desi "Greek yogurt" with roughly double the protein of regular dahi. Top 200 g with a 40 g handful of Whey Protein Granola (8 g of protein on its own) and some fruit. More ideas in our granola bowls.

2. Protein lassi (about 30 g)

A glass of lassi blended with a scoop of whey and a banana. The fastest 30 g there is, and good after the gym. Not sure you need the powder at all? Read protein powder vs protein granola.

3. Chicken sandwich (about 28 g)

Last night's chicken, shredded, with a little hung dahi or mayo between two slices of bread. The highest-protein option here that needs nothing cooked in the morning.

4. Peanut butter toast and a glass of milk (about 22 g)

Two slices of brown bread with 2 tablespoons of peanut butter and banana on top, plus a glass of milk. Check the label: peanuts and salt is all a good peanut butter needs.

5. Overnight oats with milk and seeds (about 18 g)

40 g of rolled oats, 200 ml of milk and 2 tablespoons of pumpkin seeds, left in the fridge overnight. Stir in a chopped date in the morning instead of sugar.

6. Kala chana chaat (about 15 g)

Boil black chickpeas the night before; in the morning toss a cup with onion, tomato, lemon and chaat masala, and add a spoon of dahi on top.

Cooked desi breakfasts

7. Paneer bhurji with roti (about 23 g)

Crumble 100 g of paneer into onion, tomato and green chilli, cook for five minutes and eat with one roti. It is the egg-free answer to anda bhurji, with even more protein.

8. Chanay with roti (about 17 g)

The classic Lahori nashta already has protein in it: the chanay do the work. Have them with one roti or a small kulcha instead of puri and halwa, and you keep the protein with far less oil.

9. Moong dal chilla with dahi (about 17 g)

Soak 60 g of yellow moong dal overnight, blend it with ginger, green chilli and salt, and cook two thin chillas on a tawa. Serve with a small bowl of dahi.

10. Besan chilla with raita (about 16 g)

No soaking needed: whisk 60 g of besan with water, onion, tomato and spices, cook it like a pancake, and have raita on the side.

With eggs

11. Anda paratha (about 17 g)

Two eggs cooked into or alongside a paratha. Make the paratha thin and go easy on the ghee, and it stays a good breakfast rather than a heavy one.

12. Two boiled eggs on toast (about 16 g)

The quickest of all. Add a handful of almonds or a glass of milk and you are past 20 g.

High protein breakfast without eggs

Ten of the twelve breakfasts above have no eggs. The easiest egg-free ways past 20 g are protein lassi, a chicken sandwich, hung dahi with protein granola and paneer bhurji. No protein powder either? Paneer bhurji, the chicken sandwich and peanut butter toast with milk get there on ordinary food alone.

Easy ways to add protein to the nashta you already eat

• Swap regular dahi for hung dahi.
• Add a handful of almonds or 2 tablespoons of seeds: about 5 to 6 g more.
• Have a glass of milk instead of a second cup of chai.
• Put a few spoons of granola on your dahi instead of having a biscuit.

Hungry between meals too? Here are 15 high protein snacks you can buy or make in Pakistan.

If you are trying to lose weight

Many people find that a high protein breakfast keeps them full until lunch, which makes the rest of the day easier. Pair the protein with fibre from oats, chickpeas or fruit, go easy on ghee and oil, and keep portions sensible. For a diet plan that fits your health, speak to a doctor or a qualified dietitian.

Whey Protein Granola clusters

Our two granolas

Whey Protein Granola has 8 g of protein in every 40 g serving, from whey protein isolate, almonds and seeds; with 200 g of hung dahi you are past 20 g. Nutty Honey Crunch has 6 g. Both are baked in Lahore, sweetened only with honey, and delivered across Pakistan with cash on delivery. See all our granola in Pakistan, or make your own granola.

Quick answers

What is a good high protein breakfast in Pakistan?
Chanay with roti, paneer bhurji, anda paratha, or hung dahi with protein granola all give roughly 17 to 25 g of protein.

How much protein should breakfast have?
Nutritionists often suggest 20 to 30 g per meal for adults. A paratha with chai gives about 6 to 8 g.

What is a high protein breakfast without eggs?
Paneer bhurji, chanay, moong dal chilla, a chicken sandwich, or hung dahi with protein granola.

Is granola high in protein?
Most granola has 3 to 6 g of protein in a 40 g serving. Protein granola has more: our Whey Protein Granola has 8 g.